Department of Environment continues to investigate illegal dam
In the December of last year, we reported about a dam that was built on the Barton Creek less than a mile downstream from the entrance of the Barton Creek Cave, an archaeological site protected by NICH. The Department of the Environment confirmed that they had not authorized the construction of the dam, and have since launched an investigation to determine the person responsible for the construction of the dam.
The Dam sits on a section of the river that runs adjacent to a property leased by one Ian Anderson. But according to Mr Anderson, the dam structure was already there before he leased the property, and he only made minor modifications to the powerhouse.
However, �according to Karina Tyler, the neighbour of Ian Anderson, that is not the case.
Karina Tyler – Resident of Upper Barton Creek
“I know that on Facebook and in other areas Ian Anderson has made a comment that he refurbished an old standing dam that the Mennonites had build years ago.� That is absolutely untrue.�
There are many people who swim there.� That dam has never been there.� That waterwheel has never been there.� I’ve been there twelve years almost now.�
I even went and I spoke to one of the Mennonites, and I asked them if they built that dam, and he said absolutely not.�
Emanuel Pech – Plus News
“Have you spoken to the previous owner?”
Karina Tyler
“That’s odd, because I think the previous owner on paper is still the owner.� Her name is Sharon something, but she had a family there for many years by the name of Jim and Jacquelyn� Britt.� Jim and Jacquelyn had a camping site there.� They did backpackers and other things.
They’ve left the country, so I’ve not spoken to them.� But I do know as a fact that the dam was not there when they left either, because I did spend several days on that piece of property after the Britts left and Mr Anderson had purchased it.�
[There was] an employee that he had, [and] we walked the land a lot.� We �talked.� I brought over some vegetables for him and the dam was not there.”
Jim and Jacquelyn Britt is a couple from Nashville Tennessee who lived in Belize from 2004 to 2013 in the same property now occupied by Ian Anderson.
Carl Churan, an American geographer by trade, says he has been in and out of Belize over the past 15 years and claims to be a personal friend of the Britt’s.
Carl Churan
“Jim and Jacquelyn Britt ran a restaurant on the creek that overlooked a big swimming hole, so we would always regularly swim, eat pizza, right there on the creek.� This dam is directly below the old restaurant that they had on the creek, within simple eyesight, and we would swim regularly all day long in that area.”
Emanuel Pech
“And there was no dam.”
Carl Churan
“Absolutely not.�
Emanuel Pech
“When was the last time you swam there, when the dam was not?”
Carl Churan
“I got sick in the creek by swimming in it, so I would say at least two years.� I myself was physically out of the country.
It was pretty much a natural river, no dam, no powerhouse.� I returned three months ago.� I actually went yesterday and looked for the first time, and there is a distinct powerhouse, dam, and whole construction and earth moving of the river that was not there when I left over a year ago.”
We made a quick search on the internet for Barton Creek outpost San Ignacio and came a across a number of images� showing the old flow of the River.
The images you are seeing now were uploaded to the internet sometime between 2010 and 2012 . We can’t tell you exactly when they were taken, however one quick look will tell you there is no dam present in those images.
Now looking at some of the images from our trip to Barton Creek in December last year, you will notice a distinct difference in the water levels. Also notable is that a large rock formation on the left hand side of the river going down stream is no longer there. The department of the Environment continues to investigate the dam at Barton Creek and have engaged other Government Departments in the investigation.
Locals affected by illegal Barton Creek dam
The Barton Creek is a popular tourist destination, and while the rise in water levels near the Barton Creek outpost is not directly affecting tourists, it does affect the locals who live down the river. The locals of 7 miles have used the water from the creek their entire lives, using it for washing, fishing, swimming and doing other recreational activities.
Emanuel Pech – Plus News
“How familiar are you with that river, and how often do you visit it?”
Edwin Neal – Resident of 7 miles
“We’ve been visiting that river all the weekends when we were living in 7 miles.� While we were down there living, we fish at night.� We paddled on canoes.� This time all of that has come to an end, ’cause they’re changing everything.
Now today, there is a dam that wasn’t there.
Emanuel Pech
“How long ago did you notice the changes, and how long ago did you notice that the dam had been built?”
Edwin Neal
“When Jim and Jacquelyn were there, I visited the campsite often, had drinks and food, and I swam there, and there wasn’t any dam there, and that was recent.
I know for a fact the Penner boys built the wheel, but no dam. That dam has recently been built.”
We also spoke to another local who claims to have been one of the persons employed by Mr Anderson last year to work on the construction of the Dam. He chose to remain anonymous for this interview.
Former worker of Ian Anderson
“I was a resident of 7 miles for the past nine years.� During the dry season we used to go down to Barton Creek to have a swim down by Outpost, by Jim and Jacquelyn.� My wife used to work there also.
We usually swim down the creek, and we go fishing. We used to fish the river shrimps, and there was no dam there.
I used to work with Ian last year.� We helped finish the dam there, by maybe late November, late December of last year.� Whatever he said about some Mennonites, that they build the dam, that dam was not there.�
Actually he covered a piece of the river.� There was a little island there.� He covered a piece of the river so that all the water go towards his dam.� The Mennonites used to bathe around the next side of the creek where they had a deeper pond, and there’s no pond there anymore.”
Emanuel Pech
“So you were employed by Anderson to work at the dam?”
Former worker of Ian Anderson
“Yes.� I was working there last year with him.”
He claims he started working on the dam in mid November but a friend of his started working on the dam from the onset.
Former worker of Ian Anderson
“He started working there before me.� So he knows who worked there and who didn’t.�
Emanuel Pech
“When specifically did it start?”
Former worker of Ian Anderson
“[It started] like around June of last year.�
I think that that dam doesn’t belong there, because we don’t have no more access to the creek.� Actually that’s a private place now.�
When Jim and Jacquelyn used to run it everybody had access to go there, eat nachos, eat pizza, swim in the swimming pool, and now we don’t have that access.”
Edwin Neal
“I would �strongly like to voice out my opinion, that it is wrong what they are doing.� The creek is no longer open for the Belizeans.� In my opinion, it seems like it’s their private creek, ’cause why are they doing what they want?�
The creek is blocked.� There’s no safety for children or people to swim in it anymore.� I don’t know if they would be allowed to swim in it anymore, ’cause as soon as you go around the creek or the dam they have security there.� It seems like it’s a private creek.”
The men made an official statement at the Department Of the Environment on Thursday. On Friday an officer from the Department of the Environment informed us that they will be meeting other residents in the area early next week.
PlusTV
AmbergrisCaye.com 
